Gaia: Integral Strength - Obstacles

Re: To the Gym or Not to the Gym...

http://psychesungirl.gaia.com — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 19:13:49 GMT

Please keep my posted as well about the book. and more of your great ideas.

Re: To the Gym or Not to the Gym...

http://haelan.gaia.com — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 02:05:09 GMT

That's awesome Rob.

Please keep me updated. I am definetly looking forward to picking up a copy. Good luck with finishing up the book.

Peace,
Haelan

Re: To the Gym or Not to the Gym...

http://Rob.gaia.com — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 16:58:20 GMT

Right on,

Glad the idea of a supportive environment up front resonated.

I'm still writing away although the next few months will be challenging as I'll be starting teaching next week. That always takes away from my writing time...

The book is coming along fantastically. At least that's my bias ;-)

I just got done with Chapter 11 and I started chapter 12. Chapter's 10-11 were perhaps the most challenging in terms of creating a new theory of engagement, testing it in my own practice and then writing something that's readable (i hope...). 11 took me the past 3 months!

Anyway, the writing is going really well, I think it will be a valuable asset for the emerging edge in strength training as well as in other body based practices.

Looking forward to sharing more here on the Pod as well as getting this book done so I can make both my contributions and mistakes for us all to move this discipline forward.

Big Love,

~Rob

Re: To the Gym or Not to the Gym...

http://haelan.gaia.com — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 00:11:50 GMT

Hey Rob,

I understand what you said and I agree as well. I think at first learning FIT would be best done at home and in private, and, like you said, once I've learned the principles behind the Strength for Life practice I can step it up a notch by training in a more challenging environment. I really like that idea.

Btw, I know you were writing a book about Strength Training. How's that coming along?

Thanks for the words of encouragement and have a good one, bro.

Blessings,
Hae

Re: To the Gym or Not to the Gym...

http://Rob.gaia.com — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 17:53:09 GMT

Thanks Haelan,

So glad Strength For Life fit you so well... It's deeper cut at strength training was so needed eh?

Keep us posted on how things unfold with you getting set up at home.

As for the Gym, there is a hidden gem in many Gym's unsupportive, distracting and often times draining environments.

The hidden gem is that they're not supportive.

When you get your deeper groove cut at home, give the gym a try as it's good to train amidst adversity. Often times it's important to cut that groove first with a supportive environment, establish a clear intention, refine your focus. Deepen your practice before you start experimenting with adversity surrounding just about every step in a gym.

I think this is an important part of the path though. Returning to the environment that's not supportive fosters a greater authorship for your practice. You gain more control over how you need to show up, how you need to perform, and how you need to connect with yourself and your environment.

Doing so helps refine a dependence upon our external circumstances being a particular way. When we surrender into the traditional gym environment we're challenged to bring a higher level of mastery to ourselves and our practice. We learn to establish new boundaries, learn to regulate and negotiate an inner complexity that captures and animates more of our fullness and expresses more of our essential freedom.

I just wanted to share that perspective with you, let me know if it doesn't make sense or if you have other questions. I've also got some commentary on this subject here if you're interested....

Good luck with the Strength for Life program and getting set up with the powerblocks at home.

Peace,

~Rob

To the Gym or Not to the Gym...

http://haelan.gaia.com — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 05:57:26 GMT

Hi Y'all,

I'm your typical introvert and get claustrophobic in tight crowded spaces (most gyms). After trying numerous times to "overcome" my self-consciousness, I think that public gyms are just not for me. I have a really hard time focusing on working out with people around me, and find it a distraction that drains me of the precious energy i have.

That is the reason that I really enjoyed what I learned from reading "Strength for Life" by Shawn Phillips. He puts a total spin on lifting weights, and viewing strength training as a moving meditation with spiritual benefits was such a total paradigm shift for me. I am going to save up so that I can purchase a Powerblock Home Gym next month and start my 12 week program. I'm so excited to have finally found an exercise program with a philosophy that I feel fits me perfectly. I will post my progress in the months to come. I'm taking a vacation back home to Hawaii to see family and friends in DEC so I want to look good when I go!

Blessings,
Hae

Re: Anyone ? Spondylolisthesis

http://chadnovak.gaia.com — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 19:43:21 GMT

Ookami,

Your son is lucky to have a father that believes in the power of the body and mind to bring about healing. This could cause tremendous grief and suffering for your son.

Spondy (for short) comes from two primary possibilities, one is that it develops in response to a stress fracture. Two, in about 2 percent of the population it can be congenital-present from birth and only becomes symptomatic during the teen growth spurts especially with heavy activity. Either way in most cases, they won't remember a specific causing event.

At a grade one at best I don't believe he should have to hang up his athletic career either. No please be clear, this is my own personal knowledge and experience, and I am just sitting for the ACSM Certified Personal Trainer exam in month. I am by no means a licensed MD, or medical professional so this is just my best efforts for you, and should always be considered in the light of what the doctors are saying as well. My personal thoughts on this are that no, this does not have to be the end of the road for him. I mean I am fused from the L4 vertebre, to the L5 vertebre to the S1 vertebre and I still enjoy a very active life. Your son sounds at this point like he is in great shape to enjoy a pretty solid recovery. In fact, I find I have the most trouble when I am least active. Now in the situation with your son, where its an acute re-appearance he might very well need to take a break from certain activities.

I would double sure that some things are checked and maintained. One thing that sticks out to me, is that runners, especially adolescent runners, use way more calcium and other nutrients then the average person, and I mean a LOT more. I would have a complete blood panel done and make sure that things like the thyroid levels are fine. A high thyroid level can lead to decreases in bone density and can aggravate this type of thing. I would make sure he is getting very high levels of his key nutrients. Even if this is not a contributing factor in the appearance of his spondy it can help with his recovery. Smoking and alcohol are major factors in spinal issues. Some Orthopedic doctors will not even operate on a smoker because of non-union issues where the bones will not grow back together.

My impression is that this spondy is caused in part, or caused to re-appear by the high impact of the cross country and track running. If there is any possibility of avoiding that for 6 months to a year, he would have a better chance of this healing. As far as the martial arts, its fairly important that he does not take any hard impacts to his back or unnecessary jaring, twisting, turning, etc.

I guess to sum it up, his body needs a break from the stresses to heal. If that's possible he has an excellent chance of being able to continue with his athletics. A failure to make that sacrifice might guarantee him a lifetime of re-occuring problems.

For me personally, I ended up having mine fused at 20 yrs old. I grew new bone like crazy and overall it went very well. That being said I am not a fan of surgery unless all other possible avenues have been explored. I had a lot of trouble with mine in terms of back and leg pain and partial loss of strength in the legs. All that eventually came back, but it was a lot of work, and I had to tolerate some pain. Thankfully, I had a doctor that was willing to treat the pain aggressively and thats what allowed me to get back active and get better.

Yeah I mean compound lifting, and any isolation stuff standing up. For instance a barbell curl is considered a bicep isolation exercise, but there are a lot of core muscles working to allow that to happen as well, among them the spinal erector muscles that go along both sides of the spine. I found when I targeted these muscles specifically I had a lot of increased pain. I found by doing all the other stuf, and leaving any back stuff out, that eventually those muscles got strong enough to handle most anything. Obviously certain things have to be considered, among them the increased chances of blowing a disc. Squats, deadlifts, that sort of thing should probably be out for now, and replaced with other alternatives. For instance squats can be replaced by the leg press, and so forth.

I have to run at the moment, but would be happy to answer any questions regarding all this. It can be a very trying injury at times, but you can get through it and still be active. I wish your son the best with this.

Re: Anyone ? Spondylolisthesis

http://ookami.gaia.com — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 15:24:44 GMT

Rob, Chad,

Thank you both. I live in Colorado so Golden is possible. It is for my son a 17 year top athlete..he is already a multi national and world champion in martial arts and multi lettered track and cross country athlete.

He was diagnosed with this last fall after the cross season. We could not recall any accident or trauma that brought it about.

He got some exercises, mostly core, from a local PT, got him on some specific yoga asana emphasizing flexion and dialed into the nutrition including lots of fish oil.

He was okay for a bit but now it has come back right in the middle of a fantastic track season. It is grade one at best but really bothers him.

I am a big believer in strength training, obviously, especially functional full body oriented work. I assume you mean compound lifting as opposed to too much isolated muscle work? So yes, I like to hear more of your story Chad.

I just don't buy it that he would have to hang up his athletic career just because of such a thing. He is just about to head off to college with a elite National Championship program on scholarship. He has been dreaming of this school for years...not to mention opening up his own dojo down the way.

That's him on my profile in some of the photos btw.

Re: Anyone ? Spondylolisthesis

http://chadnovak.gaia.com — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 06:03:22 GMT

Yes, I have had it for quite a few years. The big question is what degree is your spondylolisthesis and how stable is it. Unfortunately for me, I had a grade 3 that was unstable which meant having an L4 to S1 fusion. However, I am a pretty determined guy and I got through it fine. I am in the gym 5 to 6 days a week, I lift heavy on that schedule as well as doing a pretty solid cardio program including running, and I do fine with it.

My personal experience though was that I didn't get a lot better until I got rid of all the doctors in a fit of frustration. I stopped doing the back exercises and all that crap they have you do, and I started working a solid full body strength training program, at first staying specifically away from any back work. I found that the full body program strengthened my core including the spine muscles natually in the course of training all the other stuff. Since then I have been able to add in some back work and it doesn't bother me. I have to say though that continually working the back/core muscles and trying to strengthen that in isolation from the rest of the body as the therpists were so keen on yeilded poor results at best. That being said, I don't recommend that you ignore them or don't go. Try honestly what they have to offer, but be aware enough to listen to your own body if the therapy isnt giving you the results you expect. I do believe that focus on all areas of health, diet/nutriition, vitamins/supplements, cardio, etc all together help to create an enhanced environment for healing to take place.

I don't know how much you want to know, so if you would like to ask anything in particular please dont hesitate to hit me up. I would be happy to post or answer you directly for anything else you would like to know about.

Good luck with it bro.

Re: Anyone ? Spondylolisthesis

http://Rob.gaia.com — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 05:33:02 GMT

Honestly I had never heard of it until now - I just spent some time on Wiki reading up.

I'm curious - what grade is it?

As for an expert opinion on PT and training implications I can put you in contact with my trusted PT and Training duo out in Golden Colorado. I'm not sure how far you are (or one of your athletes), but a phone consult might be worth the time. If a trip to Golden can be made, getting in to see them has always proven invaluable for me.

Shoot me an e-mail if you'd like contact info...

Peace,

Anyone ? Spondylolisthesis

http://ookami.gaia.com — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 04:45:03 GMT

Any of you ever have a case of Spondylolisthesis? If so what is your story or knowledge, especially as an athlete?

-Ookami

Re: 50

http://Rob.gaia.com — Mon, 24 Dec 2007 05:24:01 GMT

Thanks for sharing guys,

Rich - your post highlights the rich opportunity in high-rep training. In my experience, the high rep sets offer a different and unique opportunity to work with the body-mind. Your blog/post highlights the dialogue and tension between the emergence of our fundamental conditioning to avoid pain and our intention.

Stay Strong!

I've shifted all of my training the past 2-3 months to 20 reps and I'm absolutely loving the dance between this "conditioned avoidance" and the intention and commitment to remain present, engaged and open until I hit 20 or momentary muscular failure.

Stay curious amidst this dialogue and tension, personally I've noticed some remarkable shifts in consciousness and my body-mind's ability for engagement and "out put" when I remain curious and open to the space in which all of this is arising.

Peace Gents - Happy holidays to everyone

~Rob

Re: 50

http://IAmNotTheThinker.gaia.com — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 10:13:45 GMT

Hey Duff!,

Thank-you : )

The ol' "I'm sure I've done 43" trick huh? I hope you get well soon mate; would vitamin C help?

Re: 50

http://duff.gaia.com — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 02:05:08 GMT

Oh man, that's so totally right on!

As a fellow philosopher/meditator with skinny legs who's also battled with the Hindu Squat, I can completely confirm the veracity of this experience.

One thing my mind also does as distraction is "suddenly" forgets what number I'm on and then assumes I'm 5 or 10 higher than I am (my intuition tells me I probably overestimating), so I generally subtract 10 and keep going.

But I haven't done HS's in a while--I'll try some as soon as I'm feeling well again!

50

http://IAmNotTheThinker.gaia.com — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 16:45:24 GMT

Dear All,

Below is a blog/article that I have written exploring my "machine-like-karmic-mind" in the context of exercise, particularly a form of exercise that realy takes me out of my comfort zone; legs. It does so not really because of the sesantions but more my psychological-emotional conditioning. I hope it serves this space. With love, Rich

50

I've always had skinny legs I have. I always hated running at school. I hated the cold days, the rain and shorts. Those shorts I had to wear, displaying my skinny legs for all to see. Weak. That's exactly how I felt. I had skinny legs, not to mention my small wrists and girl-like hands, and I was weak. Not a man. I was just interested in questions; where am I? What is going on? Why have I woken up to find myself in this life? Questions. Questions, I knew I had something of a flair in that domain, I thought like other kids didn't think, I was different.

These legs of mine though, that's a different story, I was somewhat baffled that they even kept me up right, scrawny, stiff, clumsy. I remember running to avoid the fight I was in from finishing with me on the floor getting kicked and stamped on. Even though I could have taken those four lads, I had been training after all and they were weak, I could feel it energetically, fear had got the better of me and I'd received some digs in the process, so I was running. My legs gave way, stumbling and stretching out the stumble like they do in a Marx Brothers film; nearly going, nearly going. I managed not to fall. Still, my legs were weak, they let me down. Being entered into the 400 meters at a county level by my PE teacher I started off sprinting, I was way ahead of the other lads! Well, of course I was, untrained athletes like us weren't meant to sprint the 400 meters, I burnt myself out to soon, I came last, each boy overtaking me, each time a nail in the coffin of the self-esteem of my legs. Don't worry chaps, at least you can support me while I sit and read.

So here we are; it's time for 50 Hindu Squats, capital letters are a must, a semiotic representation of the grand challenge that this exercise is for me. Legs. Fucking legs, I hate exercising them, exercising my weak legs and the shaky uncomfortable feeling of the possibility of falling over while I do so, the quad muscles giving up and me falling down. 50 Hindu Squats . . . what's the fucking point? Might as well give up now.

Placing my feet, finding my balance, closing my eyes and raising my arms in front of me; I breathe in and start to lower my body until my thighs are parallel with the floor. I move slowly and exhale on the way back up. One. Breathing back in, feeling into my body I repeat, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. Slow, measured, precise. I can feel the slight shifts in my weight, sometimes there's more on my right leg, the stronger of my twigs, a way of avoiding weakness again, in a subtle yet still afraid way. I adjust, centre, allowing gravity to pain both the left and right, slowly and exacting I feel the work. Nine, ten, eleven, twelve, breathing in time with my movement, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen. Here I notice the conditioning of my bench press work come in; I never do more than fifteen reps, preferring a heavy weight and low repetitions. I hear a voice inside me "Time to stop now, that's enough for today."

No it isn't, keep going. Sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, I can feel my legs warming and my back starting to ache (a carry-over from my seated meditation practice), nineteen, twenty, twenty-one, twenty-two, twenty-three, slow, steady, feeling into my awareness, feeling into my energy levels, feeling into my muscle, twenty-four, twenty-five. "Ok, 25, that's a good number, just do 25 Rich, you haven't worked your legs in ages, this is a good way back in, do more another day, 25 is fine." No! I'm doing fucking fifty! This isn't about my legs, this is about my mind, my ability to hold tension. It's not hurting enough yet, the real exercise hasn't even begun.

Twenty-six, twenty-seven, twenty-eight, thirty; my breathing is getting more laboured and a dull heat is building in my legs, generalised, vague and cloud-like, letting me know these stalks of mine are out of shape and yawning back into life, foggy-headed; like I am in the morning when my sleep is out of alignment. Thirty-one, thirty-two, thirty-three, thirty-four, I'm entering more fully into the moment, my mind nowhere else than where I am and the challenge I'm imbibing. Thirty-five, thirty-six, thirty-seven, it's getting tough, I want to give in. Thirty-eight, thirty-nine. Forty.

"Just do 40, forty is good enough now Rich. Come on, you only thought you'd do twenty-five so forty is a brilliant number, well done mate! You can rest and be happy now." I buy it. I bite the hook for a split second. "Yeah, forty, fantastic! What a great way to get back into touch with exercising my legs." I buy the deceptive voice of self-congratulation. I take refuge in a positive self-appraisal, believing happiness is there. I straighten my legs, it stops the shaking, stops the discomfort of this slow burn. Fuck. Get back down there! Do fifty, not forty. In that split-second I notice what's happened.

When Buddha sat under a tree and vowed to look into the deepest aspects of himself there was distractions. After the scary stuff, the armies sent from hell, and so forth, came the good stuff. The pretty women. The things we all yearn for, fame recognition, adoration, praise. At this stage of his life and growth he forsake them and in my own little way I need to forsake praising myself for doing forty Hindu Squats (they still need the capital letters at this point) and do just ten more. My body starts to lower again. I start to feel discomfort again.

"Just ten more. Not much is it Rich, only ten more? Wow, a real hero you are, aren't you mate? You think that's impressive do you? Fucking ten more, you must be a real tough guy now huh? Big deal if you do fifty, you can't do even two-hundred, if you had anything about you, you'd do two-hundred; like a real man. A strong man. Not the little pussy that you are. You always were weak, Rich. You and your skinny little legs." Now the distraction has changed, one last final effort. After distracting me with compliments and praise, pretending to be on my side, my ego comes back at me with words that hit sore-spots. For some reason I see a plate of nearly-finished baked beans; I rarely even finished a meal when I was younger, so what makes me think I can finish this? I feel sad and defeated, reminded of all those less-than-eaten meals.

Forty-one, forty-two, forty-three. "This is too much, I don't like pain." At this point I get the distinct and demoralising feeling that Life is too much for me, the macrocosm of Existence is boiled right down into my Bambi-like shaky legs and I just feel like crying . . . or shouting and calling the world a fucking unfair cunt. I watch, I'm aware. I know from experience that these are only my thoughts and I also know that they can be too god-damn believable. I relax and open my being, I don't contract around my pain as much as my habit-mind wants me too.

Forty-four, forty-five, keep going, keep going. Forty-six, forty-seven; nearly there!! I've done it! I'm start to feel triumphant. Now my mind is celebrating. It is prematurely taking me away from the reality of the moment. Just another way of avoiding. Just another way of creating false security with my mind. Be aware Rich, bring your mind back to what is. . .

Forty-eight,

forty-nine . . .

. . . fifty.

Re: hand injury after 8 months of dumbbells?

http://Rob.gaia.com — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 19:22:18 GMT

Jay,

I'm with Jeepdog on this one as well, this injury could have been caused by so many different things so it's hard to provide recommendations.

I will say this though, I would recommend getting it looked at as soon as possible and not waiting to see if it goes away or worsens. The earlier you can get physical therapy and an accurate diagnosis the better off you'll be.

On a related note you may be interested in a blog I did on working with injuries as they pertain to integral practice. If you're interested check it out here.

Good luck and keep us posted as you learn more about what's going on with your finger.

Peace Jay,

~Rob

Re: hand injury after 8 months of dumbbells?

http://jayk.gaia.com — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 02:17:42 GMT

Thanks, Jeepdog.

I understand now how difficult it is to answer a question like this, so I appreciate your response. I was hoping it was some sort of common or easily recognizable problem but it seems it's more subtle than that.

If it gets worse (which it doesn't seem to be doing) or doesn't go away after a while, I will see a doctor about it, and there is a very good one here, a performance injury clinic here in manhattan which I went to when I had tendinitis from a rollerblading injury.

There's the possibility too that this happened due to practicing some strenuously difficult music by Bach without warming up enough, or even while bicycling, or some combo of the three.

Thanks for the feedback!

Jay

Re: hand injury after 8 months of dumbbells?

http://jeepdog.gaia.com — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 05:34:08 GMT

I have pondered this since you posted, wondering how to answer.

There are far too many variables as to what this can be, and what is causing this, which has made me reluctant to answer. Yet, no one has answered, so now I feel obligated.

Any sprain can occur when a sudden, forceful movement injures a ligament, which has become stiff or weak through poor conditioning or overuse.

The "overuse" part can be a plethora of things - too much weight, too many reps, poor form (most likely cause, which is usually precipitated by too much weight), improper movement (jerking) are just a few. We would have to observe you to really know what is going on.

I recommend reading on form, technique, and programs for your particular work out. Use FIT.
See a health professional or physical therapist about your injury.

hand injury after 8 months of dumbbells?

http://jayk.gaia.com — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 17:37:39 GMT

Hi guys, I'm looking for a little feedback on this:
I've just started lifting dumbells, mostly, n my home, using exercises from the FIT paper that I found on the web, plus a few others. I'm very happy with the results. Its improved my physique, my overall energy, and my blood sugar control (I'm a type 1 diabetic)

however, I've noticed that the long finger on my right hand and now the ring finger on my left hand are acting funny, and-don't seem to be improving. When I close my hand, the finger gets "stuck", like it's locked in position, and I have to push a bit until it releases out wards. There is also a soreness at the base knuckle of each finger, where the finger is connected to the hand.

Is this sort of joint stiffness a common problem with weightlifting? Am I doing something wrong perhaps? Are there gloves or grip protectors that might help me to get past this?

I'm a guitarist by profession, and so far it doesn't interfere with my playing, but if it gets worse I suppose it might.

I'd appreciate any suggestions or pointers.

Thanks!

Integral Practice & Injuries

http://Rob.gaia.com — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 06:08:33 GMT

I just wanted to give you all a heads up.

I posted a blog/article on Integral Practice and Injuries. If you're interested go here.

I'd love to pick up this discussion here or on the comments in my blog for those interested - either place works for me.

Peace all,
Rob

Gaia: Integral Strength - **Obstacles**

Re: To the Gym or Not to the Gym...

Re: To the Gym or Not to the Gym...

Re: To the Gym or Not to the Gym...

Re: To the Gym or Not to the Gym...

Re: To the Gym or Not to the Gym...

To the Gym or Not to the Gym...

Re: Anyone ? Spondylolisthesis

Re: Anyone ? Spondylolisthesis

Re: Anyone ? Spondylolisthesis

Re: Anyone ? Spondylolisthesis

Anyone ? Spondylolisthesis

Re: 50

Re: 50

Re: 50

50

Re: hand injury after 8 months of dumbbells?

Re: hand injury after 8 months of dumbbells?

Re: hand injury after 8 months of dumbbells?

hand injury after 8 months of dumbbells?

Integral Practice & Injuries

Gaia: Integral Strength - Obstacles